Tired From Dancing
by CoolCAB
Summary: Casey and Derek reveal their true feelings in poems they read to their class. How will their classmates react and more importantly how will Casey and Derek react. I FINALLY UPDATED!
1. Chapter 1

**Tired From Dancing**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Life with Derek, but you already knew that**

**Enjoy!**

It was Thursday, a day Derek had been dreading for about a month now. At that time his English teacher, also known as Satan, told the class they had to write a poem and read it in front of the class, so they could be publicly ridiculed and humiliated. Derek was convinced his teacher got the sadistic pleasure from watching his students squirm, especially Derek. Public speaking was bad enough, but reading a poem with Casey, Emily, and Sam in the same room was his idea of torture. He was in jeopardy of failing English and he knew a good grade on his poem would prevent him from failing and Casey from getting more ammo than she needed. He needed to write it on his own, without anyone's help, except for maybe Casey's, the smartest girl he knew. The hardest part was thinking of something to write about so he shamefully asked Casey to come up with a subject that wasn't too lame to write about. She told him if he wanted a good grade he would have to write about someting personal, something he cared deeply about.

As usual she was no help. He didn't care deeply about anyone or anything. There was no way he could read something personal in front of everyone. He'd rather kiss Sam on the lips. On top of it all, he hadn't been sleeping well that entire week. He kept dreaming he was reading his poem to the class naked. What made the dream especially horrible was Casey whispered something in Sam's ear and they both laughed while they pointed at a naked Derek.

Derek never really worried about anything. He was the most confident person he knew or at least that's what people believed, but he hated public speaking for some reason. Reading something personal to the entire class was not his idea of fun. It didn't help that English was his first class that day and he didn't do well in the morning. He barely opened his eyes before noon. Plus he really wanted to do well on his poem to show himself he could do it, but more importantly so he could show Casey he could do it. He didn't know why, but he kept finding the need to prove himself to her.

He walked into the classroom and saw Casey sitting next to Sam in the back. Emily was sitting in front of Casey. Derek sat down next to Emily and in front of Sam. Sam tapped him on the shoulder. "Ready to read your poem?"

Derek didn't turn around and said under his breath, "Yeah, sure." He didn't want to let Sam know how terrified he was to read his poem to the class. He had a reputation to uphold. He read over his poem again to make sure there weren't any mistakes, but he didn't recognize any. He was so wrapped up in his poem that he didn't see the teacher walk in or hear him ask Derek to come to the front of the room. Sam pushed him in his back, bringing him back to reality.

"Derek, are you ready," he heard Mr. Reid say.

"As ready as I'll ever be," replied Derek. He got up from his desk and wiped the sweat from his forehead. As he walked to the front of the room he swore he could hear Casey yell, "Dead man walking!"

When he finally got to the front of the room, he took a look at his classmates, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Mr Venturi, anytime you want to start," said Mr. Reid. He shot his teacher a dirty look. Here goes nothing, he thought.

"Awakeandasleep by Derek Venturi," he said. He couldn't bare to look up. He read it as fast as he could and without any emotion.

Awake or asleep, there is no difference

Awake at night thinking of you

Asleep during the day forgetting you

The same thing

Truth would let me sleep

The truth, too hard to explain,

Would wake me

Until you open your eyes

I'll remain awakeandasleep

Awake at night, asleep during the day

No way to live, unbearable pain

Haven't slept a wink

Please wake me, so I can sleep

He finished his poem and looked up at Casey. The entire class turned in their seats at once and saw who he was looking at. "That was very good Derek." The teacher sounded a little shocked. "Any questions for Derek?"

Derek looked around the room for the first time and was surprised no one was laughing or snickering. They all looked very dazed. Derek got a little insulted. Was it so shocking he could write about something so personal. Okay maybe it was a little shocking, he admitted to himself, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. He felt like he was the elephant man or some strange experiment that shocked and horrified the masses. His dream had come true. There he stood in front of the class naked and exposed. The only difference was Casey wasn't laughing. She looked worried. Derek was hoping no one had any questions, but no such luck. Corey Plunkett raised his hand.

"I have a question. Who is the poem about," he said as if he already knew the answer.

"None of your business," Derek quickly shot back. He knew he shouldn't have looked at Casey, but he wanted her to know it was about her without actually having to say it.

"Class, we should move on to the next person, Emily you're next."

Derek walked back to his desk with his head down. He was a little worried himself about what everyone was thinking. He knew no one would be accepting of him falling for his stepsister. Society, especially high school kids, wouldn't look too kindly on people who fall in love with their stepsibs, he thought.

Emily's poem was about shopping or something shallow. Derek wasn't really paying attention. He just wasnted this day to be over with. He wanted every school day over with, but this one was moving particularly slow. Eight more kids read their poems. Derek didn't listen to a word, until he heard Casey's name. "Casey, you'll be the last one for today," said Satan. Casey shot up out of her seat. She hoped her poem would be better received by the class than Derek's.

"My first Love by Casey McDonald," she said. Oh no, here it comes, Derek thought. A list of why she loved Sam. He hoped he could keep his breakfast down.

Dancing around the house

Pink slippers, recitals, practice

The happiest memories of my childhood have faded away

What was positive has become negative

Dancing around my feelings is what I do now

Casey had a hard time saying this line, as she held back her tears. She couldn't let the class see her cry, especially Derek.

Dancing does not bring me joy

Only pain

Whenandif I reveal how I feel

Dancing will make me happy once more

Casey looked at Derek, who looked like he wasn't paying attention, then looked at Sam who looked upset. The shrill sound of the bell startled Casey. She looked away from Sam and towards Derek who was almost out the door. What's his hurry, she thought.

"Class, we'll finish reading our poems tomorrow," Mr. Reid yelled over the students as they talked and walked out of the classroom.

Casey quickly went back to her desk to pick up her bag . "Casey, we need to talk," said Sam. She had never seen him look so serious.

Derek walked back into the class and picked up his pen he forgot when he rushed out. He overheard Sam's command, not request, but command. Derek was worried Sam might actually think Casey's poem was about him. He didn't want to cause a fight between Casey and Sam. He didn't need another reason for Casey to be mad at him. There was no way that poem was about me, thought Derek. Casey was in love with Sam, or at least she thought she was. Derek knew that Casey thought he was a total screwup. He knew that in her eyes he would never be good enough for her. With other girls he knew where he stood, but with Casey she never let on how she was feeling. Her poem was true, she did dance. Derek realized he does the same thing. He dances around his feelings too. It was easier to deny how he felt, especially when those feelings could cause him a world of pain.

English was the only class he had with Casey so he didn't see her until he got home. He purposefully avoided the cafeteria so as not to see Sam and Casey fawn all over each other again. It really did turn his stomach and he had no idea why.

When he got home, he went straight to his room so as not to see you know who. He laid on his bed and reached down to the floor for his latest issue of Sports Illustrated. He started reading an article about the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his thoughts quickly turned to Casey. He threw the magazine down in disgust. He got up and turned on his stereo full blast, hoping to annoy Casey and drown out his thoughts of her. The music made him think of her even more, if that was possible.

Casey was just another pain in the butt girl. The weird thing was he didn't mind dealing with her, not like his other so called girlfriends. They expected too much from him, but he was never one to give anyone his heart that easily. On the other hand, he wanted Casey to want him to give her his heart, but he knew that she never would. To her he was just her annoying stepbrother. He decided it was about time for that to stop.

**A/N: Hope you like it so far. I know it was kinda short, but the later chapters will be longer. Sorry if the poems were lame but I'm not good at poetry. Please review and don't burn. I have an idea where I want this story to go, but I'm open for suggestions. The faster you review, the faster I update.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A small part of this chapter is a little mature so proceed with caution. You've been warned!**

**Tired from Dancing**

**Chapter 2**

The music put Derek to sleep, the louder the music, the quicker he seemed to fall asleep. He was awakened by a loud knock on his door. He jumped up off his bed, turned his stereo off and opened the door. "It's dinnertime," said Edwin. "Be right there," he said as he closed the door. When he got downstairs the whole family was sitting in their usual places. He sat down next to Edwin and across from Casey, making sure not to look in her direction.

"Casey can you pass the potatoes?" said Derek. She picked up the bowl of mashed potatoes and slammed it down in front of him.

Everyone jumped in surprise. "Casey," said her mom.

"What did I do to you this time," said Derek.

"You had to write that poem didn't you?" yelled Casey. She didn't mean to yell, but it just came out that way.

"You told me to write about something personal," yelled Derek just as loud.

"I didn't think you'd write about me!" They continued to yell at each other not letting anyone get a word in.

"Don't flatter yourself princess that poem was about..."

Casey stood up and leaned over the table. "Who," she said, challenging him to give her a name quick.

Derek did the same. "Wouldn't you like to know." They both stared at each other. Derek started to get a hot flash, like a woman going through menopause. He always felt like that when he looked into her big blue eyes.

"You are such a liar," she yelled. She knocked over her chair as she left the dinner table from hell.

"Derek what did you do?" asked George.

Why do you always blame me for everything," said Derek.

"Because you're usually to blame," said George.

Derek noticed that his dad didn't even hesitate for that answer. Derek came to the conclusion that he was a screw up and that his poem had completely backfired. Derek took Casey's lead.

He picked up his plate and said, "I'll be in my room."

Derek walked upstairs and could hear Casey crying through her bedroom door. He knew it was better to leave her alone. Firstly, he hated being around chicks who cried. Secondly, he didn't feel like getting hit in the head with whatever happened to be Casey's weapon of choice.

Derek finished his last bite and put his plate on his desk. He didn't know what to do with himself. He didn't do the whole alone thing very well. He decided to take a shower and do what he usually did in there to relax. When he got to the bathroom the door was locked and the shower was running. "Casey," he said with disgust.

He went back to his room and decided to do his shower ritual in his bedroom. He closed his eyes and thought of Casey. He always started with different women but always finished wih Casey. Afterwards, he wondered if Casey did the same. She probably thought about Sam. Oh who am I kidding she probably never does that. She probably never thinks about sex, she's such a freak, he thought.

Casey had the same thought as Derek. She went to the shower to unwind and get off. She had done this countless times before, but this was the first time she thought about Derek. She let the water hit her bare chest and closed her eyes. She started touching herself slow at first then faster and faster while picturing Derek. She could feel Derek's hands on her shoulders as he pushed her against the cold tiled wall and pressed his lips against hers. She imagined him putting his hand between her legs and touching her most private of regions. She could feel herself pressed up against his hard chest while the hot water ran over their naked bodies. He played with her until she came and moaned in delight. When they were done they both panted, gasping for air. She closed her eyes as he whispered in her ear, "same time tomorrow". She could feel his hot breath on her ear and when she opened her eyes he was gone. Casey knew she was in trouble, having sexual fantasies about her stepbrother was not ideal. In fact it was a major annoyance, kind of like Derek.

She went back to her room and was hungry from not finishing dinner.

She walked into the kitchen to find who else but Derek looking raiding the refrigerator. Apparently they both got hungry after they did their routine shower rituals.

"I see you had the same idea I did," said Casey.

"Yeah I'll get out of your way." he said as he straigtened up and closed the door.

Take your time, I don't mind staring at your little muffin butt, Casey thought. She really hated it when she let herself think about him like that especially when she knew he didn't find her the least bit attractive. Your stepbrother is not supposed to find you attractive, she reminded herself.

"Wait." She didn't knew what had gotten in to her, but she wanted to talk to him. She grabbed his wrist and when his warm skin made her tingle, she quickly let go. There was no way she was going to let him make her feel good.

He pulled away. "What do you want?"

"Can we sit?" She didn't know exactly what she was going to say to him, but she knew she didn't want him to go.

"Fine." He sat down at the table as Casey sat across from him.

She looked at him and still had no idea what to say, she wished everything could be different with him. If they could just be honest, then maybe it wouldn't be so hard to be in the same room with him, or maybe it would be worse. She was confused and scared.

"Fine I'll start. What did you and Sam talk about after class?" Derek knew what Sam was mad about.

"Um, he asked me if my poem was about you," answered Casey. She was unsure if she should have admitted that to him.

"And you said no?"

"What else could I say?" Casey could have told Sam the truth, but she didn't want to unnecessarily open a new can of worms.

"You are such a hypocrite. Just tell me the truth. You said you wanted to stop dancing."

Casey didn't know what came over her but she started to cry.

"Did you and Sam break up," He knew he shouldn't be happy about their break up, but he couldn't help it.

"No we just had a huge fight. I don't know what's wrong with me." She knew exactly what was wrong. She was scared. Admitting you're in love with your stepbrother isn't easy, especially when you're convinced he couldn't care less about you. She wanted to know if his poem was about her, but any response to that question would be hard to deal with. Some things were better left unsaid, she decided.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but there's nothing wrong with you." he said.

Derek being nice to Casey was even more confusing to her. She preferred it when they fought because then she could pretend she felt nothing for him and he was just her unbelievably obnoxious stepbrother. Having a dysfunctional relationship was a lot easier to deal with. After ten seconds of silence, Derek was the first to speak.

"We should get some sleep," he said.

"Sounds good, but I'm gonna get something to eat first. I can't go to sleep on an empty stomach."

Casey got up from the table and opened the refrigerator door and bent down to check out what was on the bottom shelf.

Derek stood up and leaned over the table to check out his stepsister's substantial ass. It would be so much easier to forget about her if she wasn't so hot, he thought. He went to his room and fell back on his bed. He laid on his back with his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. He really wasn't looking forward to another sleepless night thinking of Casey.

Casey laid on her bed and tried to sleep, but everytime she closed her eyes she saw Derek's face. She heard a soft knock on her door and got up to answer it.

"Derek, what do you want?" She was really sick and tired of him knocking on her door when she was trying to forget he existed.

His answer shocked her and almost knocked her down. "I think we should sleep together."

**A/N: Will Casey give in to her stepbrother or will she be completely grossed out by him, will Sam find out what they're about to do? All these questions and more will be answered next time. Stay tuned for another chapter of Tired From Dancing. Oh and don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tired From Dancing**

**Chapter 3**

"What are you talking about," asked Casey. She knew her step brother wasn't actually suggesting they have sex.

"You can't sleep, right," asked Derek. He was hoping she would say no because then that meant she thought about him too.

"Not that it's any of you business but no I can't."

"Well neither can I."

"So you think sleeping with me will put you to sleep? You really know how to flatter a girl." She had never been so insulted in her life.

"Yeah if we lay next to each other maybe we can sleep."

Casey thought about it for a minute. How did Derek know she couldn't sleep and why would sleeping together put them to sleep. He probably couldn't sleep for the same reason she couldn't. She started to get happy at the thought of it, but she quickly stopped herself. Casey figured that even if he did feel something for her there still could be nothing between them. She never had any problem sleeping before she moved into that dreadful house. She really needed a good nights sleep and if Derek could give it to her she'd let him.

"Alright but no funny business," Casey finally answered.

"Get over yourself." Derek knew that if he did try something she would throw him out and then it would be back to insomniac city.

Derek laid down first on the right side of the bed and patted the empty left side. He looks a liitle to eager, thought Casey. She laid down with her back to him.

She was just about to nod off when she felt his arm around her waist.

"Derek?"

"What," Derek said half asleep.

"Could you move your arm?"

"I'm more comfortable this way." Derek would have moved his arm if she asked him. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Fine I dont want to argue, I wanna sleep." The truth was she kinda liked his arm there. She felt warm and safe. She rolled over, but Derek didn't move. He was out cold. She could feel his hot breath on her face. She had never seen him so peaceful. She wished she could tell him everything she felt about him, but knew that she probably never would. He had his revolving door of girls and she was committed to Sam at least for the time being. She didn't want to hurt him and especially for her stepbrother. She rolled over again and moved his arm away from her. "This can't happen," she said to herself. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

She woke up when she felt Derek get up from the bed, but quickly closed her eyes again. When she heard the door close she opened her eyes and looked at her clock. It was 6:00 in the morning and Derek had never woken up that early before, especially on a school day. Casey rolled over and could smell Derek on her sheets. God that smells good, she thought. I'm gonna have to burn them. She took another whiff and went back to sleep.

Derek crept back to his room before anyone noticed he was gone. He decided to take a shower and get the smell of Casey off of him and get ready for school. After his cold shower he went to his room and changed. He packed his bag and went outside to wait for Sam to pick him up. It had been hard enough to hide the fact that he liked his best friend's girlfriend. But this morning it was even harder to hide that he slept next to Sam's girlfriend last night.

"Hey man, you ready," said Sam.

"Yeah, lets go," Derek felt it was best to keep the talking down to a minimum today.

Casey woke up late. She put her clothes on, her hair up, and she was out the door. When she got to school, she noticed a crowd of students around Derek's locker. He's probably just selling them stuff again, she thought. When she got closer she could hear them say, "Who do you think did it?" and "Is it true?" Casey's stomach became one huge knot. She knew this was about her and Derek and it was going to be bad, very bad. She broke through the crowd and saw in big black letters on his locker, 'CASEY'S LOVER'.

Casey felt like running home, not her current home, but the condo where she lived with her mom and Lizzie before she was forced to move into her own personal hell. She ran to the nearest bathroom and started to cry. "Case, are you okay," she heard Emily say. "No, not really. How could they do that? It's not true," said Casey.

She came out of the stall and Emily gave her a hug. "It will all blow over, you'll see. By tomorrow everything will be back to normal."

Casey didn't know what was normal anymore. Was it normal to fall in love with your stepbrother, she thought. She and Emily walked back to her locker to find something equally mean and nasty on it. In capital red letters it read, "FREAK!"

The worst part about it was Casey knew they were right. She was a freak. She was thinking about her inner freakiness when she noticed Derek walking toward her.

"Are you okay," said Derek. He went to hug her, but she pushed him away. "Not here, Derek," she said. A crowd of students formed around them and saw him almost hug her. Casey and Derek could hear someone whisper, "That's so weird."

Derek put his hands on her shoulders and looked in her eyes. He could see she was completely devastated. "I'll take care of it," he whispered as he rubbed her shoulders. He turned towards the crowd and started to yell.

"Just what the hell are you all lookin at? There's nothing to see here."

"Except for the freak show," he heard a boy say. Derek didn't know what got into him, but he was madder then he had ever been in his entire life. He couldn't hold it in. He turned to the taller boy in the varsity hockey jacket and punched him in the face. The boy fell to the ground and held his jaw. He got up, pointed into Derek's face and said, "This isn't over." The boy walked away, and Derek yelled after him, "Oh I'm shaking!"

"Anybody else got a problem," Derek said to the still large crowd. Everyone was frozen by what they just saw. Everyone started walking away without saying a word. Derek turned back to Casey. "You sure you're okay?" "No not really. I'm going to go home." "Good idea, and don't worry I'll find out who did this." Casey was kind of turned by the way he took command of the situation.

"Actually I think you should just leave this alone. I don't even want our parents to find out."

"I promise. Whatever you want. I'll see you at home."

Casey looked at him and smiled. He watched her as she walked down the hallway.

Just then someone tapped Derek on the shoulder. Derek turned to find the principal standing before him. "Mr. Venturi, would you please come to my office now?" Derek knew this was bad and he was going to get suspended or even worse.

Casey was in her room reading, when she heard the front door slam the loudest she had ever heard it close. She went to the top of the stairs and could hear George yelling at Derek. She had never heard him yell that loud. He barely ever raised his voice.

"What the hell were you thinking fighting in the hallway?"

"The other guy started it, What was I supposed to do, stand there and take it?"

"That's a start. You could have just walked away, Derek."

"I had no choice. After what he said to me, I couldn't let it go."

"And what did he say that was so bad, I would really like to know?" He wasn't yelling anymore and Casey took that as a good sign.

Derek remembered he promised Casey he wouldn't tell. Casey held her breath hoping he would keep his promise.

"He called me a wuss," said Derek. Casey couldn't believe he kept his promise even if it meant he would be in serious trouble with George.

"And you thought that was enough for you to slug him and get a week's suspension? You're lucky they didn't expel you, Derek."

"I'm really sorry, I don't know what got into me?" The truth was he knew what got into him and her name was Casey.

"Derek, go to your room while I think of your punishment. I'll call you for dinner." When she heard him coming up the stairs, Casey ran to her room. Derek knew she was listening when he reached the top of the stairs and heard her door close.

Derek was staring at his ceiling when there was a knock on his door. He was hoping it wasn't his dad. He couldn't take anymore yelling. "Come in," he said.

"Hey Derek? Can I come in," said Casey. When he said, "Sure," she sat on his desk chair and rolled it over to the side of his bed where he was laying. He sat up and faced her and sat Indian style.

"I'll start this time. I'm really sorry you got suspended," she said.

"It's not your fault. That jerk deserved it," he said. She put her head down and tears started welling in her eyes. She couldn't let him see her cry. "Look at me," he said. "I can't," she replied as the tears streamed down her face. The truth was she couldn't look into his eyes. She was afraid of what she might see in them.

"Wow, I've never seen anyone who cries so easily," he said.

Derek unfolded his legs and put them on either side of hers. He put his hands on her thighs and leaned towards her. He kissed one of the tears falling down her cheek. She looked up at him and took his hands off her thighs. She pushed herself away from him, which made the chair roll towards the wall. She got up and started to yell.

"I'm upset and crying and you take that as an opportunity to kiss me?"

He got up form his bed and stood not five inches from her. "Woah, what did you think would happen when you came into my room?"

"Nothing, I thought we could just talk,"

"Talk. That's all you ever do. You want to talk, go to your boyfriend. By the way where was he today when you needed him the most?" Derek didn't mean to sound so harsh, but after the day he had he really needed to take it out on someone.

"He called me when I got home to apologize. He wasn't there because he had to go to the nurse,"

"For what, did you give him something?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but he was getting condoms." Derek's knees buckled and he sat down on his bed.

Casey could see he was upset, he always looked like a lost little puppy when he was sad. It was actually quite endearing, Casey hated to admit. Derek knew it was really over. He had no chance with Casey.

Casey didn't know what to say so she just left and went back to her room. She laid on her bed and looked at a picture of Derek, then a picture of Sam, back and forth, back and forth for about a half hour. Sam Derek Sam Derek. Her head was going to explode. She was more confused than ever. She put both pics under her pillow and decided to read the article about Orlando Bloom in Premiere magazine she had been meaning to read. She finished the article and threw the magazine on her nighttable when she heard George telling Derek dinner was ready. She really didn't feel like dealing with him. She walked downstairs, but it really felt like she was walking the plank. She sat next to Lizzie and across from Edwin. She was about to take her first bite when Derek came down and sat at the table.

Everyone ate in silence for about five minutes until Casey's mom broke the ice, more like the iceberg.

"So Lizzie tell everyone your big news," said Nora.

"It's nothing, really. I just made the honor roll," she said.

"That's great kiddo," said Casey. Casey couldn't believe she didn't know that. Lizzie used to tell her everything first. She blamed Derek for making her so preoccupied with him lately.

"That deserves a toast," said George. Everybody raised their glasses and drank up. Casey looked over at Derek. He looked as bad as she felt. All Derek could think about was the punishment his father had yet to give him.

Everyone finished their dinner in silence. Casey got up to go to her room, when she heard George tell Derek to do the dishes. Now normally she would have loved it when he was in trouble, but she knew it was all her fault. She went downstairs and could hear George tell Derek that he was grounded for a week which meant no T.V. and no phone. He was only to leave the house for hockey practice and games.

It was Friday night and Derek didn't have a date, correction, Derek was forced to cancel his date. He didn't know what to do with himself. He went to email Casey, but he didn't have the slightest idea what to say to her. A lot had happened in the last couple of days and he didn't know how to deal with it. He turned his computer off and decided to go to bed. He didn't think of Casey. He told himself it would be better for everyone if he left her alone for a while. He fell asleep around 9:00.

Casey laid in her bed staring at the celing. She couldn't fall asleep so she decided to read. She finally fell asleep at 2 a.m.

Casey woke up at 10:00, she never slept over eight hours, and went downstairs for breakfast. That's odd, she thought. Where is everybody? There was a note on the kitchen table. "Went to Derek's hockey game. Be back by 1:00. Love, Mom.

Casey ate some cereal and went to her room to do a little homework. She couldn't really concentrate. All she knew was she had to avoid Derek this weekend. She decided to go shopping with Emily. She called her up and Emily agreed to go. At the mall, their conversation basically consisted of clothes. After Casey was all shopped out, she and Emily went back to her house. They both sat on Casey's bed and played cards.

"So what's up with you and Derek?" asked Emily. Casey knew she was holding that question in all day.

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you two really a thing?" She sounded weirdly excited.

"He's my stepbrother, Em. Don't believe everything you hear. "

"Weirder things have happened and don't worry, I won't get mad if you two are. I can just live through you. Don't leave out any details."

"For the last time, nothing's going on between us." Casey only wished that was true.

"Fine whatever you say," said Emily. She knew Casey wasn't telling the truth.

Maybe Em was right, Casey thought. Weirder things have happened, but then again falling for her stepbrother was the weirdest thing that's ever happened to her. Derek wasn't just another guy. He was her stepbrother and that always made their relationship 1,000 times more complicated than it needed to be.

Emily left without any more talk of Derek. Casey was grateful for that. She didn't want to talk about him or think of him ever again. She was putting her new stuff in her closet when she heard Derek's loud rock music playing from his room. Guess the little monster's back, she thought. She finished putting her two new shirts, pairs of jeans, and shoes away and went to the kitchen for something to eat and to get away from Derek's annoying music.

"Hey Case, dinner's in an hour." Her mom was chopping carrots. Her mom sounded chipper, which really bothered Casey.

"Oh I have to go finish my homework anyway." She got her assignments from Emily earlier, since they have almost every class together.

"Casey are you okay?" Casey's mom sounded concerned. Apparently she could see the cloud hanging over her head.

I'm just in love with my stepbrother that's all, normal teenage problems, she thought.

"Yeah mom, I'm fine." Nora knew better. She knew when Casey was upset.

Casey went to her room, sat on her bed, and tried to read Great Expectations, but couldnt concentrate. Derek is totally going to turn me into a high school droput, she thought. She heard a knock on her door and welcomed the interruption to her thoughts about Derek and her pretending to study.

"Come in," she yelled.

What the hell? What does he want now? Why he can't just leave me alone? I swear if he didn't bother me what would he do with his life. "What do you want Derek?"

"Can I sit" She didn't want him anywhere near her.

"No," she snapped at him.

"What's your problem?"

"As if you don't know," Casey said. Derek knew what was wrong. She was having as hard a time forgetting about him as he was forgetting about her. It's kind of hard to forget about someone who lives with you.

"I get in trouble for defending your honor and you have a problem with that?"

"Who said I needed you to do that?"

"I knew your so called boyfriend wouldn't. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you dinner was ready."

He closed the door and she vowed to herself not to let him get to her anymore. "I will not give him a second thought. Correction, I won't give him a first thought," she said to herself.

As soon as Casey sat down at the dinner table George raised his glass to toast Derek's victory that day.

Everyone raised their glasses except Casey. He gets suspended one day and the next day the family was toasting him. Casey couldn't take the butt kissing anymore. "Hockey and girls Hockey and girls! I can't take it anymore!"

Casey realized she had just said that out loud. "Casey," said Nora.

"I'm sorry mom. I just can't stand hearing about hockey anymore. All he cares about is hockey and girls."

"Well they are his favorite subjects," said Edwin.

Casey just rolled her eyes. "Don't defend him or one day you may become him, totally lacking any true feelings." She didn't know what had come over her. She just blew.

"I'm so sick of us bowing down to Derek and letting him get away with everything, he never has to answer for anything he does, he treats people like dirt, particulary girls, and we just ignore it," she managed to say in one breath.

"Thats not true," said George trying to convice himself more than Casey.

"Yeah, he only treats you like dirt," said Edwin.

"Casey that's enough. Maybe you should go to your room," said Nora.

"Yeah we wouldn't want to tell Derek the truth now," she yelled. She got up and as she stomped up the stairs, she yelled, "I hate it here!"

Derek turned to his dad. "I suppose this is my fault too right?"

Nora knocked on Casey's bedroom door. When Casey didn't answer, she opened the door and sat on her bed.

"Casey? What has gotten into you?"

Derek's gotten to me and I could kill him for it. There goes my promise to myself, she thought.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Normally she could tell her mom anything, but this was off limits.

"You're not fine. You've been crying." Casey sat up and gave her mom a hug while her mom stroked her hair. She pulled away and layed back down.

"The only way I'll feel better is if we move," said Casey.

"Well you know we can't do that." Casey obviously knew that, but she thought it was worth a shot to ask.

Nora kissed her on the forehead. "I'll bring you up some dinner."

"If we can't move, well I'll just have to move out myself," she said to herself.

**A/N: Was this chapter long enough for ya? Confession, I wrote these three chapters before I even posted the first one. I added and subtracted a few things, but not much. Anyway, you might have to wait a couple of days for the next one. Please review, they motivate me to keep on writing when I get tired.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Tired from Dancing**

**Chapter 4**

Nora went to Casey's room Sunday morning to wake her up for breakfast. She had made the entire family pancakes and the only family members missing from the table were Casey and Derek. Nora knocked on Casey's door loudly, but Casey didn't answer. That's weird, Casey's usually such a light sleeper, she thought. She opened her door and found Casey's bed empty. Casey's bed hadn't been slept in and there was a note on her pillow. Nora picked up the folded pink piece of paper. She noticed her hand was shaking. She unfolded the letter and read.

Dear Mom, I refuse to live under this roof any longer with him.

I've gone to a place where I can be happy and be myself.

Casey

Nora wasn't able to move right away. She put her hand over her mouth and dropped the letter on the floor. All the horrible things that could have happened to Casey flashed before her eyes. She ran out of her room, not sure what to do next.

It was ten in the morning and way too early for Derek to wake up on a Sunday. He only got up this early on the weekends for hockey. When he saw the time on his alarm clock, he put his pillow over his face. He ripped it off when he heard his door slam open. With his eyes half closed he said, "Casey?"

"Derek, do you know where Casey is," Nora said. Derek could hear the panic in her voice.

He shot up from his bed and said, "She's not in her room?" He walked into her room with Nora following close behind.

"Where could she be," asked Nora.

"Don't worry, she's probably at Sam's." Something told him she went to Sam's to sleep with him.

Nora ran out of Casey's room and downstairs, this time with Derek following her. When she ran into the kitchen, she announced to the entire family that Casey wasn't in her room.

"Where did she go," asked a frightened Lizzie.

"Derek thinks she may have gone to Sam's so I'll call there right away," said Nora.

She picked up the kitchen phone and remembered she didn't know Sam's number. "It's 555-2305," said Derek.

"Thanks Derek," she said and she quickly punchd in the numbers. Luckily she got Sam.

"Hi Sam, it's Nora, Casey's mom. Is Casey there by any chance?" The entire family froze and waited for the answer.

"No, she's not? Well do you have any idea where she could be?" She slammed the phone down and said, "He doesn't know where she is." She started to cry and George got up and hugged her. "Edwin, Lizzie, Marti, please go upstairs," said George, still holding Nora. Derek stood there frozen, not knowing what to do. He could see the images Nora saw of Casey. I will never be able to forgive myself if anything happened to Casey, he thought.

Then a light bulb went off in his head. "Emily, he yelled. "She probably knows where Casey is."

George let go of Nora and she picked up the phone. She knew Emily's number by heart. "Hello Emily is Casey there?"

Casey was sleeping in Emily's bed when she was woken up by the loud ring of Emily's phone. "Hello Nora," Emily said.

Casey sat up in the bed. Casey started waving her arms. "No, I don't want to talk to her," she whispered.

"Nora, she's right here, do you want to talk to her?" When Nora said yes, Emily handed the phone to Casey.

"Thanks a lot Em." She grabbed the phone from Emily's hands. "Casey are you there," she heard her mom say.

"Yeah mom, I'm here." "Are you okay? I was worried sick." "I'm fine. I only went next door." "Casey, come home now. We need to talk." "Can I at least stay until tomorrow?" "You have school tomorrow." "I can leave for school from here. I have clothes and my school bag." "Alright, but we will have a long talk as soon as you get home tomorrow." "Looking forward to it," Casey said sarcastically. Derek was really rubbing off on her. She hung up the phone before her mom could answer.

Nora hung up the phone. "Bye Casey," she said under her breath. "So is she coming home," asked George.

"No, but I'm going over there to get her," said Nora. She knew that if she told Casey she was coming to get her, she would just leave. She needed to act like she was alright with her staying Emily's so she could get her.

"No, I'll do it. It's my fault she left in the first place. I'll take care of it," said Derek. "Derek, I don't think that's such a good idea," said George. "Dad, for once trust me. I know what I'm doing." George had never seen Derek take charge of a situation before. Casey really is rubbing off on him, he thought. "Alright, go get her." Derek wished this would be his father's response if he found out he loved Casey, but he knew his family would never be supportive of them.

Derek walked out of the kitchen door without changing first. the truth was he was changing. He was growing up and realizing that his actions had consequences. He realized he couldn't fight with Casey and get away with it any longer.

He rang Emily's bell and got butterflies in his stomach while waiting for someone to answer the door. "Hey Em, I really need to talk to Casey." "Sure she's in my room, She's in a really bad mood, just thought you should know, keep your head down and stay low."

Derek appreciated Emily's sense of humor at a time like this. He went up the stairs two at a time and walked to the room with the pink sign on the door which read, Emily's Room.

He knocked on the door softly hoping to get a nice response. Casey opened the door and was suddenly face to face with her arched enemy. She tried to close the door, but he pushed it open and she fell to the floor. He reached out his hand to help her up and said, "Are you okay?" She got up from the floor without his help. "No, not really," she said.

"What do you want Derek?" He wanted to tell her that he wanted her. That he wanted to run away with her and live happily ever after with her, if there was such a thing. He knew that saying that would just make her more mad so all he could think to say instead was, "Everyone really wants you to come home. I really want you to come home."

"Why, so you can continue to torture me?" "You know that's not true. It'll be different this time." "I don't believe you, nothing will change, It can't." "It only can't if you won't let it." "Me? What about you? It's easier for you to pick on me than tell me the truth." "I hate to admit it, but I was just as scared as you were." "I wasn't scared." "Yeah keep telling yourself that."

"I can't stand this anymore." said Casey. "All we do is bicker and nothing ever changes."

"Just come home, and I'll show you I've changed." Casey looked into his big brown eyes. There was something different in them. He looked genuinely sorry. She felt helpless and she hated it. She didn't like to feel out of control, that's why she always fought with him. Submitting to him would mean she would lose any upper hand she might have had with him. She hated to feel so out of control, especially by Derek.

"I'm sorry, Derek I can't. At least not today." He walked to the door, turned and said, "I'm sorry about everything, I really have changed." He closed the door and Casey heard his footsteps as he walked down the stairs. She looked out Emily's window and saw him walk to his house with his head hanging towards the ground.

Derek walked through the kitchen door to find Nora and George sitting at the kitchen table still in their pajamas. "Any luck," said Nora. "No she's not coming back till tomorrow." He went to Casey's room and layed on her bed. He didn't feel like taking a shower and getting changed. He didn't feel like moving. He rolled on his side and smelled her pillow. He clutched the pillow close to his face and did something he hadn't done in a long time. He began to cry. He fell asleep and dreamed of Casey. In his dream he saw Casey walking down an aisle in a beautiful white wedding dress. When she got to the front of the church, Sam came out of nowhere, took her hand, and they both turned toward the priest. As the best man, all Derek could do was watch. When the priest said speak now or forever hold your peace, Derek tried to stop the wedding, but nothing came out. He held his neck, but couldn't speak. It was as if he was choking.

He sat up in his bed with a cold sweat when he heard a knock on his door. He jumped out of his bed and turned the doorknob hoping it was Casey. "Lizzie? What are you doing in here?" "The better question is what are you doing in Casey's room?" "I fell asleep by accident." "Okay," Lizzie said confused.

Lizzie sat on the bed next to her stepbrother, not really knowing what to say. "I miss her ya know," "Yeah me too," said Derek, without thinking. "You what," asked Lizzie surprised. "I mean I miss bothering her," said Derek. "What's going on between you and Casey?" "Nothing." For such a young girl, Lizzie sure wsa perceptive he thought. "I know she left because of you." "Not everything Casey does is my fault," said Derek. "I know that, but this is." Lizzie got up from Casey's bed and closed the door behind her. The women in this family sure had a way of making Derek feel bad. Derek got up and went to his room a few minutes after Lizzie blamed him for Casey leaving. He had to admit she was right, but all he could do was apologize, which he did, and wait for her to forgive him.

When Derek got to his room, he went straight to his computer. He checked his email hoping Casey had written. There was really nothing for him to do online so he signed off. He sat on his bed and took his shoes off. He was about to lay down when the phone rang. Derek hoped it wasn't any more bad news. Derek cautiously picked up the phone and heard Sam say hello. To Derek's dismay he didn't sound too happy. "Hey Sam, what's up?"

"Casey called me up crying, what did you do to her?" "

"Nothing." Derek knew that wasn't entirely true, but Sam didn't.

"Then why did she run away from home?" "She didn't run away from home, she went to Emily's house," Derek clarified.

"She told me what you did." Derek had no idea what that meant. He had done a lot of stuff to her. "And what was that?"

"She told me what you said about me, that I wasn't willing to defend her honor." Derek knew that wasn't the reason she left.

"Next time you give her a hard time, I will be there," Sam said.

"Are you threatening me," said Derek.

"Just watch your back." Sam hung up the phone. This is great, Derek thought. I have a varsity hockey player and my best friend after me.

It was almost dinner time so Derek decided to take a quick shower before he ate. While in the shower he thought about his conversation with Sam. He didn't sound like himself. He had never heard Sam sound so cold blooded. Sam had never threatened him with violence before. The closest they got to being violent with each other was when they wrestled. He knew Casey had told him more than Sam let on.

He was the last one to get to the dinner table again. The entire family ate in silence, but he knew what they were all thinking. He knew they all blamed him for Casey leaving. He was just glad by this time tomorrow Casey would be back and he wouldn't be public enemy number one anymore, except for maybe with Casey. In the meantime, he couldn't stand the silence anymore. He got up from the table and said, "I gotta get some air."

When Derek got to the end of the street, he turned the corner. He walked about ten feet down the block when he saw Casey and stopped. He hoped he could maybe talk her back into coming home that night. "Casey, can we talk?" "I don't think so," was her only response.

She brushed past him and quickly walked away. "What did you say to Sam to make him so mad?" Derek yelled. She turned and started walking towards him. While she walked towards him,she said, "What do you mean? I didn't say anything to him about you."

"Then why did he threaten me?" Casey couldn't believe he would do that. "He what?"

"He called me up and said you told him about that crack I made about him not defending your honor. He told me to watch my back."

"Don't worry I'll talk to him and make him change his mind." She turned and walked away quicker than before .

"I didn't do anything wrong," he yelled after her.

"I know. I'll straighten this out," she yelled over her shoulder as she turned the corner.

Casey knew he was right. They were both to blame for this, more her than him. When she got back to Emily's house she went to Emily's room and called Sam. When he answered the phone after the third ring, she said, "What did you say to Derek?"

"Casey? I didn't say anything." That was probably the first time Sam had lied to her.

"He told me you threatened him." "I did, but I didn't mean it. I was going to apologize to him later."

"Promise me you won't lay a finger on him. Sam was a little surprised by her reaction. "I promise. Why do you care anyway? I thought you'd want him to get hurt after everything's he done to you."

"Because if anybody's gonna kick his ass, it's gonna be me. Okay?" "Yeah I go it," he said, a little afraid of her.

"Good," she said and she hung up the phone.

The next morning Casey woke up early. Emily was still sleeping next to her. She hated Mondays, but this particular one, she knew, was going to be horrible. Not only were her classmates going to make fun of her, but she would have to face them without Derek.

As she and Emily walked to their lockers, they could hear kids whispering. She was glad to see her locker had been cleaned. She was even happier to see Sam walking towards her. If Derek wasn't there, Sam was the next best thing. "Hey sweetie," she said. She gave him a quick kiss and they walked to her first class holding hands. As she passed the other students she shot them dirty looks and then smiled at Sam. She needed to show them that she was committed to Sam.

At lunch, the whispers she heard earlier were now loud, full blown insults. Kids were talking really loud about how sick it was to have the hots for your step brother. Casey sat with who else, but Emily and Sam at lunch. They each remained silent as they ate until Emily heard someone say, "How can she still be friends with that freak?" She got up on top of the table and started yelling.

"Listen up everyone, I have an announcement. This is my best friend Casey, and she is not a perv, or a freak, or a slut, or any other name you can think of. What she does is her own personal business. Maybe if you all got your own lives you would stop butting in to hers. She should not be ridiculed for having the bravery to do what she wants to do, even if that includes having a crush on her stepbrother. I mean really, what girl here hasn't had a crush on Derek, raise your hands!" Only two out of twelve girls didn't raise their hands, but they were rumored to be same sex oriented. "I think I've made my point," she said as she climbed down from the table and sat down across from Casey and Sam. "Thanks," said Casey. She knew how hard it was for her to put herself out there like that. "Don't mention it," Emily said as she gave her friend a wink. Sam was not as thankful.

The rest of the day Casey didn't hear anyone whisper or say anything about her and Derek. She couldn't wait to get home and tell Derek what Emily did and how it might have actually gotten everyone of their backs.

She walked through the door and dropped her bags on the floor. "Derek, you home," she yelled.

"Yeah I'm right here," he said from the couch. He had an ice pack over his right eye.

Casey sat down next to him and was about to tell him about Emily when he lowered the ice pack. The area around his eye was black and blue and his eye was almost swollen shut. He also had a small cut above his upper lip. "Derek what happened to you?"

"My little varsity hockey friend paid me a visit."

"Are you okay," was all she could think to say. She hated to see him hurt, especially if she was the cause.

"He hit me a few times and when I was on the ground he kicked me a couple of times. My stomach is black and blue and sore, but other than that, I'm fine."

"Can I get you anything?" He had never seen Casey so attentive to his needs before and he liked it.

"No, but I have something to tell you that you may not like." Casey got nervous and her stomach became one huge knot.

"I think Sam put the hockey player up to it."

"No, he promised me he wouldn't touch you." "Technically he didn't."

"He wouldn't do this. He's your best friend." "My friend who threatened me." Casey knew he didn't do it, he would barely ever raise his voice let alone have his best friend beat up.

"I'm going to talk to him." She got up from the couch.

Derek grabbed her arm and pulled her back down on the couch. "No wait Casey, don't leave me."

"Do you need something?" Not something, but someone, he thought.

He got up from the couch and held out his hand. Without a word, she took his hand and he pulled her up from the couch. She held his warm, surprisingly soft hands as he led her upstairs.

**A/N: Hope that wets your appetite. I will try to update tomorrow. Please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Tired from Dancing**

**Chapter 5**

Casey fell asleep with her head on Derek's chest. The steady, rhythmic beating of his heart put her to sleep. The rhythm was broken when Casey heard the front door slam shut. "Casey are you home," she heard her mom call. She shook Derek awake. "Derek wake up now." "What is it?" "I gotta go. My mom's home." She searched throught the covers for her shirt. Derek picked her pink shirt off the floor and handed it to her. "Looking for this?" She quickly put her shirt on inside out and jumped off the bed. "Casey you upstairs," she heard her mom call. Her mom's voice was getting closer. She bent down, gave Derek a quick kiss on his soft lips, and said, "Thank you."

She ran out of his room and to the top of the stairs. Her mom was two steps from the top of the staircase. "Casey, what were you doing?" "I was exercising and had my music on so I didn't hear the door." Casey figured that was a legitimate excuse.

"And why is your shirt on inside out?" Casey didn't have an excuse for that so she quickly changed the subject.

"I really missed you mom and I'm sorry." "I missed you too sweety. Don't ever do that again."

"I promise." She wasn't just making that promise to her mom, but to Derek as well.

"How about you come downstairs and help me with dinner?" "Sure," Casey said hoping her mom wouldn't ask her any more questions. She wasn't exactly a pro when it came to lying to her mom. Nora put her arm around Casey and they walked to the kitchen together.

Casey was tearing the lettuce for the salad when her mom sat across from her at the kitchen table and said, "There's something different about you."

Oh no, I've been found out, she thought. "What? Nope, nothing's different."

"You're almost glowing." "I'm still sweating from working out." Working out with my stepbrother, Casey thought to herself.

She made the salad at warp speed and when she finished she told her mom she was going to take a shower before dinner. When she got out of the shower she went to her room, changed, and did her math homework. But somehow, pre-calculus wasn't getting her mind off of her encounter with Derek earlier. She finished her homework without checking it which meant it was probably all wrong. At this point she didn't care. She had bigger things on her mind than calculus. She finished her work just in time before her mom yelled up the stairs, "Dinner's ready."

This time Casey was the last one to the dinner table. When she reached the bottom step, she heard George ask Derek about his eye. "I just walked into a door," said Derek, hoping everyone would believe him. "And I thought Casey was the klutz," said Edwin. Everyone laughed except Derek. He wanted to tell them that he regretted giving her that nickname because she was graceful, and agile, and surprisingly flexible, except he knew he couldn't tell anyone. He felt like screaming it from the rooftop, but keeping this new development under wraps wasn't just recommended, it was mandatory.

All throughout dinner, Casey couldn't help but look at Derek and smile. Nora couldn't help but notice this. She thought they looked like two teenagers who just... She didn't want to finish that thought.

After dinner, Casey offered to do the dishes. As she cleared the table, the entire family dispersed throughout the house, except her mom. Casey started washing the dishes when her mom walked in and said, "I'll dry them." Casey handed her a plate, and her mom said, "You didn't say a word at dinner. Is something wrong?" "No, It's just that I'm thinking of breaking up with Sam," which wasn't exactly a lie.

"You don't seem so upset about it. I mean at dinner you couldn't stop smiling at Derek." Casey hoped her mom wasn't saying what she thought she was saying.

"You think I'm breaking up with Sam for Derek?" Casey wasn't even ready to admit that to herself, let alone her mom.

"Casey, you can talk to me about this." Why did I have to smile at him at dinner, she thought. I shouldn't have looked at him at all. Now my mom thinks there's something between us and it's all Derek's fault. Why did he have to look so cute all the time, Casey thought. She wanted to say anything to keep her mind from thinking about Derek that way.

"There's nothing to talk about." Casey handed her mom the last plate and walked upstairs.

She headed straight to Derek's room. Derek was listeniing to his CD player when Casey barged in. He took his headphones off and heard her say, "My mom just accused me of breaking up with Sam for you."

"Are you the only girl in your family who can't see what's really going on?" Casey was offended. She wasn't that dense. She knew what was going on. She just didn't want to admit it to herself or to Derek.

"Derek, when I break up with Sam, it won't be because of you." Even Casey didn't believe what she said.

"'When are you going to break up with him?"

"I think tomorrow at school." That was not the answer Derek was looking for.

"Why not call him tonight?" "I think I should do this face to face."

"And what are you gonna say?" "I guess I'll tell him I just want to be friends."

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to tell him the truth." Derek was hoping his nagging would drive her to call Sam right away and tell him she was choosing him over Sam.

He should know how hard this is for me, Casey thought. "You think it's that easy?"

"I don't know anything because you won't tell me what's going on." He knew that was a little hypocritical since he hardly ever told her what was going on with him.

He got up from his bed and walked towards her. "All I know is that I'm willing to tell everyone about us, and you aren't." Casey could see the hurt in his eyes.

"I just don't think anyone's going to understand." Casey knew that that was a cop out.

"So what are we supposed to do? Sneak around for the rest of our lives?" Derek had never said the words, rest of our lives, when talking to a girl. He never even thought about those words when thinking of a girl, but Casey had a funny way of making him do things he wouldn't normally do.

"The rest of our lives?" Casey couldn't believe he thought this would last more than a few days. He had never had a girlfriend longer than a week.

"I mean...," He took both her hands in his and walked her to his bed and they sat down. "I just mean the sooner we get it out in the open, the easier it will be on everyone." That was too much for Casey to handle at the moment.

"I'm not even sure I want to continue this, whatever this is," she said as she let go of his hands.

"Fine, then just leave." It wouldn't be the first time a woman he loved had left him. He had a hard time letting anyone get close to him since his mom left.

Casey got up from the bed and opened the door. "I'm sorry Derek." She knew that wasn't enough, but she didn't know what else to say. She was about to close the door behind her, when she heard Derek say, "I'm sorry too." Derek was sorry he had ever let her get to him. Everytime he got really close to someone, it always seemed like they left.

She walked back into his room and closed the door. "I'm sorry I took you to my room and I'm sorry we kissed, but at least we didn't make the mistake of going all the way, right?"

"You think it would have been a mistake," asked Casey.

"Don't you?" Derek knew she thought of him as one of her few mistakes.

When she didn't answer him he said, "I'll take that as a yes."

"I can't do this anymore," she yelled. She turned again, but when she opened the door this time, she slammed it shut and went to her room. After a few minutes of pacing and mumbling curses about Derek, she decided she was not going to break up with Sam. She wasn't going to give Derek the satisfaction. She needed to get out of her room though or she'd go insane.

She went downstairs to watch some mind numbing television. Edwin and Lizzie were already there watching cartoons. "Do you mind?" She stuck out her hand and Edwin handed her the remote. She sat down between them and started flicking.

Without any warning, Derek walked in and grabbed the remote from her hand and sat on his chair.

"Let's go before this gets ugly," said Edwin. "Good call," said Lizzie. He and Lizzie got up from the couch and went upstairs. Casey got up and grabbed the remote back from him. She pulled him up from his chair and onto the couch. He fell on top of her and before she knew it, he pressing his lips against hers. She opened her mouth and felt his warm tongue touch hers. She dropped the remote and moaned as he deepened the kiss. When he came up for air, she said, "Derek, we can't." He kissed her again and put his hand up her shirt. "Derek, stop." She pulled his hand away before he could touch her where she definitely didn't want him to touch her, at least for the moment. He quickly got off of her and sat on the other end of the couch.

"What's wrong this time?" She sat up and straightened her hair and clothes. "It's just a little too fast."

"You can't keep doing this to me. You let me kiss you and then you stop me before.." "It goes any further, I know," she finished his thought.

"I know you're scared, but haven't you ever wanted to do something that makes you feel good even if it was wrong." Derek already knew that the answer to that was a big fat NO.

"That's the problem. I only feel like that when I'm with you. Maybe I'm just attracted to you because you're off limits."

"Or maybe the reason you're scared to go any further is you know it's right." Derek hit the nail right on the head. The reason she couldn't go through with it was because she would feel something she had waited her entire life to feel and wanting to feel that with Derek scared the hell out of her. She got up from the couch and said, "You couldn't be more wrong."

She went to her room to do what else, but study. She had completely forgotten she had a test in Chemistry the next day. She noticed a folded piece of paper slide under her door. She picked it up and read it. Stop Dancing. Come to my room at eleven tonight. Casey sat on her bed and debated whether she should go to his room. She put her Chemistry book on the floor and made a pro and con list. When she ran out of things to write, she noticed there was one thing on both the pro and con sides, Being with him might feel good. There was a lot more on the pro side. In fact, the only thing on the con side, beside that it might feel good, was someone might catch them.

When Derek came back from the store, his father was sitting on the couch watching a hockey game. Derek walked passed the couch and was about to walk upstairs when George said, "Don't you wanna watch the game?"

"Uh yeah, I just gotta go to my room first." His dad was too caught up in the game to ask why. He went to his room, hid what he bought under his bed, and went downstairs to watch the hockey game.

After the first period, his dad tuned to him and said, "You've been awfully quiet. What's going on? Is it a girl?" No, it's just my stepsister, he thought.

"No, it's not a girl. Sam and I just got into a fight." "Why'd you get into a fight? Is that how you got your black eye?" His dad seemed concerned.

"No, I told you I walked into a door." Derek thought he'd get away with not telling him why they fought.

"So why did you fight," George asked as any good lawyer would when interrogating someone.

"It's a long story?" Derek thought maybe his dad would leave it at that.

"Was it because of Casey?" Obviously Nora had been talking to him.

"Why would I get into a fight with Sam about Casey?" "The only thing I can think of is," his father answered.

Derek cut him off before George could say, the last thing Derek wanted to talk to him about.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't. When is the second period going to start anyway," Derek said hoping to change the subject.

"In about ten minutes. The Leafs are really going to have to step it up in the second if they want to come back." And just like that, the subject was changed back to a safe one, hockey.

Meanwhile, upstairs Casey decided to call Sam. She still didn't know if Sam had Derek beaten up. She was pretty sure he wasn't responsible. There conversation went something like this. "Hi Sam" "Hey Case, what's up?" He sounded happy to hear from her. He was always happy to hear from her.

Casey figured she should just get right to the point. "Um, Derek was beaten up by a varsity hockey player today and he seems to think you put him up to it."

"And what did you say?" "I told him you could never do something like that, right?"

"You're seriously asking if I could do that to my best friend," "No, I.." Casey knew whatever she said wouldn't better the situation.

"I'm sorry Casey, but if you thought that about me for even one second, then we can't be together."

"You want to break up with me? But it's just that Derek told me you threatened him and..."

"So you believe Derek over me? I don't want to be in the middle anymore." "Sam I don't want to break up with you," she said unconvincingly.

"And I didn't want you to crush on my best friend, but it happened." Casey wondered if everyone knew before she did that she liked Derek.

"I don't like him." The lies seemed to trickle from her mouth so easily, it was scary.

"You need to stop lying. I know what the poems were about. I'm sorry Casey." He hung up the phone before she could say anything. She hated to admit it, but she was kind of happy they had broken up. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Like her mom, Sam thought she wanted to break up with him to be with Derek. He said he knew that her poem was about Derek and Derek's was about her. He knew that she wasn't in love with him anymore, and maybe she never was. She regretted dragging him into the middle of this freak show. He didn't ask for any of this. The worst part was she knew she was attracted to Derek before she went out with Sam. She thought her feelings for Derek would go away once she started dating Sam, but they only grew stronger. Sam didn't deserve being used by her, and she started to think she was using Derek too.

At ten minutes to eleven, she started pacing the floor. The area at the foot of her bed had almost completely worn away. Only negative thoughts about Derek began to surface.

"I can't do this," It's going to change everything." "I'm not ready for that kind of change." "Maybe things will change for the better." "What if it feels really good? "What if it doesnt?" "I'm not ready for this." "I just have to tell him it's not the right time."

She opened her door and closed it again. "I can tell him." She opened her door and took that excruciatingly long walk to Derek's room. She opened his door, and was shocked by what she saw. There were lighted candles all over the room. Fresh rose petals had been spread all around and on top of his bed. It wasn't at all original, but sweet nonetheless. He poured her a glass of sparkling cider and handed it to her. She took a sip and said, "This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Derek took the glass from her hand and set it down next to his on the desk. Casey was nervous. She knew that this was the last few minutes of her life as a virgin.

"Well I wanted to make our first time special, yours and mine." She already had a feeling that this was his first time too.

"I guess we were both waiting for the right person," she said.

"After you moved in, I promised myself I would wait no matter who I dated." Casey knew that that must have been hard for him to do, being the typical guy that he was.

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Derek put his hands on her hips and pulled her close to him. He put his finger to her lips and said, "Shh, that's enough talking." She knew this was it; the end of her old life and the beginning of something completely new and exciting. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled. When she opened her eyes Derek was still there and she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. She was happy, truly happy. She wanted Derek to be there everyday she opened her eyes from now on.

He took his finger away and kissed her a way he had never kissed her before. Every other kiss they shared was fast and hard, but this time it was slow and soft and tender, but just as intense. Casey really wasn't prepared for what happened next. Derek scooped her up from the floor and carried her to his bed and gently laid her down. From then on, they weren't stepsiblings anymore, but two souls who desperately needed each other. Every part of her body started to tingle and she suddenly and surprisingly wasn't afraid anymore.

**A/N: Hoped you like it. I didn't want to go into detail about there first sexual encounter. I mean you know what happens next. I wanted to detail the overwhelming emotions she felt leading up to her first time. The next chapter will deal with how they both deal with what happened. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I know I suck for not updating for so long. I don't really have a good reason for not updating. I just kept putting it off.**

**Tired From Dancing**

**Chapter 6 **

Casey woke up in Derek's bed early Tuesday morning. So much had happened since Monday, it had almost seemed like a dream. She woke up at six and hoped to slink out of Derek's room before he woke up. She had slept with her back to him and although they were only a few inches apart, it felt as if they were seperated by a million miles. She had no idea what Derek might be thinking this morning and worse, she wasn't even sure what she was thinking or feeling. They didn't make manuals for losing your virginity to your stepbrother, but she wish they had.

She picked up her pajamas from the floor and quickly put them on and tiptoed to her bedroom. She jumped in the shower to get that Derek smell off of her and to wash away any sins she may have committed the night before. She quickly threw on a sweater and a pair of baggy jeans. When she went to the kitchen, the whole family was there minus Derek.

"Hey Casey, you feeling okay," asked Nora. "Yeah I'm alright why," Casey answered all in one breath.

"Lizzie told me you were moaning last night." This couldn't get any worse, thought Casey.

"Oh I had a little stomach ache, no biggie." Casey hoped this answer would suffice and this latest interrogation would end, but no such luck.

"She went to your room and said you werent there." "I must have been in the bathroom." Oh God when will this stop, she thought.

"Lizzie looked in there too and you weren't there either." "I don't know what to tell you. I didn't just become invisible last night," she yelled. She couldn't stand her mom not trusting her. They had never had a problem in that department before.

"Maybe we have ghosts, that's probably why you heard moaning," said Edwin. "We have ghosts," asked Marti scared. "Thanks alot Edwin," said George.

"I gotta go. I'm gonna be late," said Casey as she ran out of that disaster area known as the breakfast table.

Casey worried all the way to school that the kids were still going to taunt her. When Casey got to her locker, she saw Emily at hers. "Hey what's up," asked Emily, with an annoying grin on her face.

Casey opened her locker and shoved in her books. "Nothing, what do you mean?" she said impatiently.

"You're acting strange, whats goin on?" Casey didn't have the time nor the patience to tell her everything that was wrong with her.

"I didn't sleep at all last night." She slammed her locker and walked to her first class. Emily walked in and sat next to her.

"You can tell me, whatever it is." No I really don't think I can, thought Casey.

"Is it serious?" You have no idea, she thought. "Yeah, just a little," she answered.

"Come on how bad could it be?" "It's not bad, just weird," Casey said. She opened her notebook and scribbled something in it hoping Emily would take the hint that she was busy.

"Does it have to do with Derek?" Casey wasn't exactly in the mood to talk about him, so she snapped.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Can't we go one day without talking about him?"

"Did you and Derek kiss or something?" More like the or something, thought Casey.

The teacher walked in and handed out the test papers. Casey had planned to do a little cramming that morning, but she was a little preoccupied. She looked at the Chemistry test and didn't recognize half the formulas on it. She knew she was screwed, again.

When the bell rang, she passed her test up and walked briskly out of the room hoping to dodge any questions Emily might have for her. When luch time came, Casey went to the cafeteria hoping not to see Sam, but apparently this was not her lucky day. He was sitting alone when he looked up and saw her. He got up, grabbed his tray and walked past her. He threw his lunch into the garbage, put his tray down, and walked into the hall.

Casey ran after him. When she caught up to him, she grabbed his arm and turned him around.

"Sam, can we talk?" "About what?" Sam wasn't going to make this easy on Casey. He really didn't want to talk to her at that moment.

"I'm sorry about last night. I would really like to be friends." Casey noticed he wasn't looking at her, but past her shoulder and down the hall.

"I hope you and Derek will be very happy together." He turned and walked down the hall. For some reason his words cut throught her like a knife. She knew they probably wouldn't be happy together and she had blown a good thing with Sam. Casey couldn't believe he was being a bigger drama queen than she was. When Sam turned the corner, Casey walked back into the cafeteria and sat down across from Emily. It was nice to see a friendly face, nosy, but friendly face.

Emily wasted no time. "So about you and Derek." "Listem Em, I'd rather not talk about it." Emily was getting concerned and she feared the worst.

"What exactly happened between you two? Don't leave out any detail." All this nagging was wearing Casey down. She knew Emily wasn't going to let this go.

"Alright I'll tell you, but you have to swear you won't tell anyone."

"Cross my heart." "Derek and I were. Well, we were together last night," she said softly. She didn't need anyone to hear this.

"Together, like you made out?" "Do I have to spell it out for you?" Casey really didn't want to say it out loud. Putting it out there meant that it actually happened, and at that point Casey preferred to pretend it didn't.

"That's the most shocking thing I've heard, well ever. So what was it like?" Emily got right to the point.

"It was nice, but this morning was beyond awkward." "Yeah no kidding," Emily said.

"I haven't talked to him since. I have no idea what to say to him."

"How about thank you," Emily smiled. "Very funny, Em." She could always count on Emily to make light of a situation, kind of like Derek.

"Just tell him how you feel." Easier said than done, thought Casey. "I don't know what I'm feeling."

"Well do you want to do it again, or do you want to pretend it never happened?" "A little of both." Casey wanted him, but she didn't want the awkwardness that came with him.

"Well you better figure it out before you talk to him." Casey didn't know how to do that. "Yeah thanks." They finished their lunch in silence. Nobody bothered her the rest of the day. There was a new rumor going around school about an affair with a teacher and Casey and Derek suddenly weren't that big of a story anymore. She could still kill Derek though for twisting her into a pretzel. Casey's head and heart were in constant battle since she met Derek. She still didn't know which one to listen to.

While Casey walked home she thought of what she would say to Derek. Nothing she thought of sounded right or sounded like enough. When she got to the front door she still had no idea what to say. She was hoping he wasn't home even though he was grounded. She walked through the kitchen and upstairs to find his door was open. "He's not home," said Casey. Maybe it was her lucky day. Denial seemed to suit her.

Casey went to her room and fell face first on her bed. She was so tired and didn't even want to think about school. She didn't want to think anymore. She was so sick of thinking and never acting. She couldn't exactly act at that moment because Derek wasn't home yet from wherever he went. She took her math textbook out of her school bag and did a little homework. Under the cicumstances, she concentrated on her math homework pretty well.

Casey's concentration was blown when she heard Derek run up the stairs and close his door. She put her book on the floor and decided to confront Derek. She knew what she wanted to say to him. Her head had gotten her far, but her heart, well not so much.

She got up and went to Derek's room. She raised her fist and was just about to knock when she stopped herself. She went back to her room and sat on her bed, then got up and went to Derek's door again. She did this for about thirty minutes. Her trips to Derek's room were interrupted by serious pacing and mumbling in her usual pacing and mumbling spot in her room. When she was standing in front of Derek's door for the fifth time, she heard her mom yell that dinner was ready. Casey ran downstairs before Derek could see her in front of his door. It didn't matter because he knew what she was doing the whole time. He got a little jolt from this. He knew that her indecision meant that she was seriously considering going out with him.

Casey hated the dinner table. It was more like a war zone, kind of like the one that existed between her head and her heart. She sat down and when Derek finally decided to make his appearance, she refused to look at him. She wasn't going to make the mistake of looking at him again at the dinner table. Casey proceeded to shove the food around her plate. Nora noticed this and said something that would snap Casey out of her head and back to reality.

"Casey how would you like to baby sit on Saturday?" Nora knew this would make Casey forget about whatever was bugging her.

"Sure, whatever. Can I please be excused?" Nora was taken aback. She thought it was weird that Casey didn't put up a fight.

"Yeah sure," said Nora. Casey went to her room and picked up a magazine. Lizzie came in about fifteen minutes later and asked her if she was okay.

Casey was sick of everyone asking her that. "I'm okay."

"Problems with Derek?" Lizzie didn't know how right she was. "It's just normal teenage problems, kiddo." Casey hated to lie, especially to Lizzie. Derek was turning her into a liar and, today's math homework withstanding, a bad student.

"So I have a lot to look forward to," she said sarcastically. Casey laughed and cracked a smile for the first time since last night. "I'll leave you to think about your problems." That was the last thing Casey wanted. "You wanna play a game?"

"Sure, I'll get Monopoly from the games closet," answered Lizzie. She jumped from the bed and ran out of the room. Edwin noticed the closet door was open. He went in and saw Lizzie reaching for the Monopoly game, which was on the highest shelf.

"Can I play with you if I help you get it down," said Edwin. "How are you going to get it down. You're just as short as I am." He stepped up onto the lowest shelf and reached for the game with both hands. "It's a little known trick," said Edwin. Casey walked to the games closet to see what was taking Lizzie so long. "Is it alright if Edwin plays with us," asked Lizzie with her asking face on. "Yeah no problem." Lizzie and Edwin walked out of the closet and Casey closed the door. They were walking down the hall when Casey suggested they play at the dining room table. Edwin and Lizzie had no objections so they walked downstairs. Derek could hear Casey ask them if they wanted to play downstairs and decided to join the fun, the fun being taunting Casey and seeing her get all hot and bothered. He knew their fights were just an elaborate form of foreplay.

They were just about done setting up the board when Derek came downstairs. "You got room for one more?" He sat down before anyone answered. "Sure, why don't you sit down," said Casey. It was strange, but while they played, they forgot they were the dysfunctional family they were. They actually got along. There were no petty arguments or bickering.

Derek, Lizzie, Casey, and Edwin were actually having fun until Casey accused Derek of cheating. After Derek had five hotels on the board after only an hour of playing, Casey accused him of stealing money from the bank. "I'm the banker and I know you took some," said Casey.

"You just can't stand that I'm beating you." "What I can't stand is cheaters like you." "Admit it. I'm better than you at everything, except for maybe being in a pain in the ass." "At least I'm not a cheat and a liar." They fired back at each other until Lizzie interrupted them.

"Guys stop, look there's money under the table." They all looked under the table and sure enough there were pink and orange bills on the floor. "I told you I didn't cheat," said Derek. "Well can you blame me for accusing you of cheating?" "Uh yeah, how you feel about me is actually in your control." Edwin and Lizzie realized they weren't just talking about Monopoly anymore. "Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me," said Derek. As usual Caey and derek had forgotten their siblings were still there.

"So are we gonna play or what," said Edwin. "Yeah, let's play," said Derek. Neither Edwin or Lizzie noticed that he looked straight at Casey when he said this.

After Derek got another monopoly, Casey turned the board over. "You think you're so good at everything." Derek knew he was good at only two things, hockey and turning girls on.

She ran upstairs and waited for Derek. He ran after Casey while Lizzie and Edwin cleaned up the mess Casey made. When he reached the top of the stairs, Casey said, "What took you so long?" This time she kissed him first. She pushed him against the wall. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked to her room like that kissing the entire way. She jumped off of him and they both sat at the foot of her bed. They kissed again until she stopped him.

"Derek, we need to talk." He kissed her again. "Later." He got in one last kiss before Casey pushed him away.

"I think it would be best if we just pretended nothing happened." Derek stood up. "You what?"

"I wasn't prepared for any of this."

Derek sat on the bed and took her hand in his and said, "Like I was? So we'll figure it out together." Casey put her head on his shoulder.

"So you wanna babysit Marti with me on Saturday?"

"And then can we fool around," Derek said with his usual smirk on his face. "Derek," she said in her usual scolding tone.

"Kidding." He put his head against hers. They both laid down and fell asleep while Derek stroked Casey's hair. Little did they know someone had seen them asleep on Casey's bed.

Casey walked down to the kitchen. Her mom walked in and asked her to sit down. George said, "I'll get him."

"Casey we need to talk to you and Derek." Her mom did not sound happy. She was as far from happy as one could get.

Derek walked in after George and sat down next to Casey, without even a look. They felt like they were about five years old and they had just broke a family heirloom.

"We know what's been going on and we've decided Derek is going to move to the attic while Casey moves to the basement. We'll take Casey's room and Edwin will take Derek's," said Nora.

"Mom that's not fair, we didn't do anything."

"Dad, like I would ever do anything with Casey." Csaey was a little insulted at how fast that came out of his mouth.

"Then why did I see you and Casey in your bed," said Nora. "Busted," thought Derek.

"We were studying and we fell asleep," said Casey. She knew they weren't going to buy it.

"When was the last time Derek studied with you or with anyone for that matter," said George.

"The two of you will move out of your rooms tonight," he continued.

"So you don't believe us," said Derek. He wasn't too surprised by his dad's reaction.

"We're just taking all the precautions." Derek knew what that meant. They were taking all the precautions against him. They would probably would have let Sam sleep in Casey's room when they weren't home.

"This is insane," said Casey. George and mom were completely overreacting, she thought.

"I agree. We only thought we''d have to seperate you for fighting," said George.

"Get what you may need tonight and tomorrow morning and go to your new rooms," said Nora.

Casey walked out first and went to her soon-to-be old room. Derek stood up and started walking towards the dining room.

"Derek, stay here until Casey goes down to the basement," said George. He sat back down and waited. He can't even trust me for five minutes, thought Derek. Casey returned about five minutes later. She walked by without looking at Derek.

"Derek go to your room," said George. Derek stood up once more and said, "This is so unfair." He walked up the stairs stomping his feet.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing," said Nora. "I don't know, but we'll find out." They both sighed.

Derek took some stuff from his room and went to the attic and woke up Edwin by accident. "Derek what are you doing up here?" "We have to switch rooms for tonight," "Why?" Before Derek could lie to him, George walked in.

"Edwin you have to sleep in Derek's room tonight." "And why am I being kicked out of my room?"

"We'll talk about it tomorrow," said George. Edwin picked up his pillow and walked downstairs to Derek's room half asleep.

"We're going to move Edwin's things in to your room tomorrow. See you in the morning bright and early," said George. He walked down the stairs and slammed the door.

Casey was trying to fall asleep, but she just stared at the ceiling. She couldn't believe her parents had found out about her and Derek. She could hear someone walk down the stairs. She thought it was her mom until she turned on the light.

"Derek what are you doing here?"She sat up inher bed. "I couldn't sleep." Casey knew how that went. She couldn't fall asleep without him either.

"How did you get past my mom and George?" She knew it probably wasn't easy since they both decided to act like wardens.

"I climbed down the side of the house and came through the back door."

"Are you insane? You could have hurt yourself," A week ago, and she wouldn't have cared less if he hurt himself, but everything between them had changed.

"I did. I think I cut my leg." Derek rolled up his pant leg. "Let me see. Oh you're bleeding. Let me get a paper towel." Derek saw the genuine concern in her face and realized, just like Casey, he wasn't ready for this either.

Everything had changed so dramatically in such a short period of time. The fact that Derek was willing to get hurt to see her and the fact that she cared if he was hurt was all so new to the both of them. The biggest change was probably the fact that their parents didn't trust them to be around each other.

Casey was wetting a paper towel in the sink, when she heard her mom say, "Casey, what are you doing?" She jumped and turned.

"Um just getting a wet paper towel for a cut I got on my leg."

"Save it Casey. I know Derek's down there."

Nora went to the basement door and yelled downstairs, "Derek would you come up here now?"

"Hey how's it going," Derek said when he came upstairs as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Go back to your room, now." "Its not my room, it's Edwin's room and you can't tell me what to do, you're not my mother." Nora just stood there. She felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She had no idea Derek felt that way about her.

"You're not going to keep us apart, so stop trying." He grabbed the wet paper towel from Casey and trudged downstairs to the basement.

"Casey, what are you doing?" "We're not doing anything, why can't you believe us?"

"I wish I could." Casey hated that she coudn't be trusted. Now she knew how she made Derek feel earlier that night. Casey couldn't take her mom treating her like a criminal anymore. "Mom, all we did was kiss." She couldn't believe she just admitted that to her mom.

"Casey, you have to stay away from him. He's your brother."

"Stepbrother and I don't see him like that." She never really thought of Derek as a brother. At first he was a complete stranger, then he became a major pain, and then he became someone she was insanely attracted to. Casey had no idea what he would be to her in the future, which was part of the reason why she was so scared.

"You know as long as you live under this roof, we will not allow this." George walked in and stood by Nora.

"Is he down there?" He pointed to the basement. George already knew the answer to that. He went to the basement door and yelled down, "Derek what the hell are you doing?"

George went downstairs with Nora following close behind. When Casey got downstairs Nora and George were facing Derek. Casey grabbed Derek's hand so he wouldn't feel ganged up on. "You two can't do this," said George.

"We're not doing this, you are," said Casey. Derek never thought he'd see the day when Casey would side with him over her own mother. "Yeah, this is more your fault than ours.You two got married and stuck us together in this house. What did you think would happen," said Derek as he squeezed Casey's hand.

"Look at the bright side, at least we're not fighting anymore," said Casey. She and Derek started to laugh. George and Nora didn't find that last crack as funny as their children. "Yeah, isn't that what you wanted," seconded Derek.

"That's it, Derek. I'm sleeping down here with you and Casey can sleep with her mother in her room.

"I think you've officially lost it," quipped Derek. All four of them started yelling at once. They finally stopped bickering when Marti came downstairs. "Daddy, I'm scared about the ghosts." "Come here Marti," George said as he picked her up.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" Thank you Smarti, thought Derek. Maybe she's not such a pain after all, thought Casey.

"Sure sweety." George turned his head towards Derek and Casey. "Derek, Casey can we trust you to sleep in your own rooms tonight?"

"Uh yeah, since we didn't do anyhting in the first place," said Derek. "I promise nothing will happen," Casey said to her mom as she gave her a hug. Derek and Casey walked up the two flights of stairs. They stopped in front of Casey's door when Derek broke the deafening silence.

"You think they bought that," he said. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. When she didn't kiss back he knew there was something wrong.

"I really think we should sleep in our own beds tonight." Casey hoped he wouldn't get too mad.

"I can't believe you're letting them get to you."

"I'm just really tired. I think we should just stay away from each other for a few days,"

"You can't keep doing this. It's like I'm on one bad roller coaster that never ends." Casey didn't know what she could say that would make him feel better, but more importantly, she couldn't say anything that would refute it.

"You can't start this up and then stop it whenever you feel like it. It's not fair." Casey knew he was right, but whenever she started up with him again, the intensity seemed to paralyze her.

"So you wanna break up?" Casey wasn't even sure if they were going out. People who date usually aren't ashamed to admit they're dating.

"Yeah I guess we are. Come talk to me when you make up your mind." He opened his door and stepped into his room.

"Oh and Derek." He popped his head back out.

"You will apologize to my mom tomorrow." They slammed their doors at the same time.

**A/N: Hoped you liked it. Review and tell me so. I think the next chapter will be the last. I'm still not sure how I want this to end, though. I'm open for suggestions.**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Life With Derek, blah, blah, blah

Tired from Dancing

Chapter 7

As usual, Casey couldn't get to sleep, due to Derek. She went online to check her email. She had a bunch of spam emails in her mailbox and one email from Sam. She deleted the other emails without looking at them. She opened Sam's emailwith hesitation. It was short and direct. When she finished reading it, she put her hand over her jaw-dropped mouth. At first she thought maybe Sam was lying to her, but then she realized that Sam had never lied to her before, unlike Derek. She was falling for a guy who, she came to find out from Sam's email, had been lying to her for almost a week now. Casey had never felt so betrayed, sad, and angry at the same time. She wanted to confront Derek with the email that very second, but decided instead to talk to her guidance counselor at her regularly scheduled session the next day at school.

Casey put, what happened to be her favorite song at the moment, on. She turned up Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield just loud enough for her to hear. She took the only picture of Derek she had and drew horns on his head with a red permanent marker. She looked at the picture and realized he looked even cuter with the horns. She tore up the picture and threw it in the small garbage pail next to her desk. When the song finished she blasted some heavy metal cd that Sam had left in her room. She jumped on her bed and started pounding her head. If Derek asks me to turn it down, I'm gonna kick his ass, she thought.

Derek was at his computer writing an emai to Casey, when he heard the music. He deleted what he started to write to Casey, and got up from his desk chair. He jumped on his bed and started badly singing the words.

Casey could hear Derek singing, more like screaming, and turned down the music. Derek continued to sing/scream and she laughed. She stopped herself. She wasn't going to let him make her smile. She hated when that happened. Whenever she got justifiably angry at him, he would do something cute and make her laugh. She decided right there and then that he would not have that effect on her anymore. In fact, she wasn't going to think of him at all ever again. She decided for the sake of her own sanity she would pretend he didn't exist. She would concentrate on her school work and dancing from then on.

She went to asleep while thinking of what she would wear the next day. Derek, on the other hand, didn't stop thinking about Casey. He layed on his bed with his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling. He thought of ways he could get Casey to break. He realized all he had to do was change who he was. I have to become the person Casey would fall for, he said right before he closed his eyes and had a dreamless night's sleep.

The next morning, Casey got dressed in her pre-planned outfit. She went to the kitchen and poured herself some cereal. Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti walked in together and sat down. Lizzie was begging Edwin not to ask out her best friend, when Casey's mom and George walked in. Nora, to Casey's surprise, walked over to Casey and gave her a kiss on her head.

"I'm sorry about last night, I should have trusted you," said Nora.

"Yeah what was that all about last night?," asked Edwin.

"What did I miss?," asked Lizzie.

"Nothing happened. Eat your breakfast you two," said Nora.

Everyone was startled by Derek walking in to the kitchen. "Good morning everyone," Derek said.

The whole family just looked at him like he had three heads. "Nora, can I talk to you for a minute?," asked Derek.

"Sure, Derek," Nora said slowly. She followed Derek into the dining room.

"Well, I gotta get to school," Casey said. She couldn't wait to ask Sam about his email. She quickly put her bowl in the sink, picked up her bag, and walked out the back door.

Nora and Derek walked back into the kitchen. "Dad, I can pick up Lizzie and Edwin at school today, if you want?," said Derek to everyone's surprise.

"Someone should check to see if he's become a pod person over night," said Edwin.

"Sure, Derek that would be great." said George.

"Let's get out of here, before we become pods too," Edwin said to Lizzie. They picked up their stuff and ran out the front door.

"Those crazy kids,"Derek said shaking his head. He picked up their bowls and went to the sink.

"I've got to get going too," said Nora. George walked Nora to the front door. "What did Derek say to you?"

"Oh, he just apologized for last night," said Nora. "What's gotten in to him?," asked George.

"I don't know, but maybe Casey has something to do with it," said Nora. They both looked at each other terrified.

"Oh this is worse than I thought. I have to have a serious talk with him," said George.

"I think you better and I'll talk to Casey." Nora kissed him and George closed the door behind her.

George went into the kitchen and saw something he never saw Derek do before. He was washing dishes.

"Hey Derek, we need to talk," George yelled over the sound of the running water. Derek turned the water off and turned around.

"Maybe later Dad, you should really get going or you'll be late for work." "Right, we'll talk tonight," said George as he picked up his briefcase.

Derek walked behind him as he went to the front door. As George walked to his car, Derek yelled, "Don't worry about dinner. I'll make something." George opened the car door and yelled back, "Well I don't know who you are, but thanks. There's chicken in the freezer you can use."

"Have a good day," Derek yelled as he waived. George shook his head and got into his car.

When Casey got to her locker on this dreary, cloudy Wednesday morning, Emily was waiting for her as usual. "So what happened? I'm dying to know what you told Derek." "So much has happened since yesterday, I wouldn't know where to begin." said Casey.

Just then, Casey saw Sam over Emily's shoulder. "Sorry Em, I gotta go." Casey slammed her locker and ran to Sam.

"What's going on with them," Emily said to herself. "What's going on with who?," Emily heard someone say behind her.

She turned to find Derek standing there. "Derek what are you doing here, you were suspended."

"I'll tell you if you tell me who you were just talking about," said Derek.

"Um no one important," said Emily unconvincingly.

"You are the worst liar I've ever seen in my life, I mean other than Casey." Emily laughed nervously.

"Were you talking about me and Casey?"

"You and Casey, why would I be talking about you and Casey? That's ridiculous," Emily said all in one breath.

"Okay, now your babbling. What did Casey tell you about us?"

"Nothing really. You still haven't told me what you're doing here."

"I'm here to surprise Casey," Derek said with a huge grin. "Maybe you should do that later, I really think you should just go before the principal sees you."

"What's going on," said Derek. "Just look," Emily said as she pointed at Casey and Sam.

"So Sam's talking to Casey, big deal," Derek said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"You're right, it's probably nothing," Emily said as she waived her hand in front of her face like she was swatting at a fly.

Derek walked towards Sam and Casey. "Hey what's going on?," said Derek as he cocked his head to one side.

"Derek, what are you dong here?" Casey said half surprised, half annoyed.

"The better question is what are you doing talking to Sam?" Derek said almost shouting.

"Take it easy. I'm talking to my friend." "He's my friend," said Derek.

"Oh that's real mature," yelled Casey. She hated how Derek thought he owned everyone and everything on the planet.

"I can speak for myself," said Sam. "Derek, what you did to Casey was pretty unforgiveable," Sam said as he moved to within an inch of Derek's smug face.

"Can you be more specific? I've done a lot of unforgiveable things to Casey."

"Dont try to be cute," said Casey as she got between Derek and Sam. "What did I do this time?," asked Derek as he stepped back from Casey and Sam, who were acting more like hungry vultures.

"You didn't write that poem about me. You didn't write that poem at all, did you!?" Casey moved closer forcing Derek to take another step back.

"Case, I can explain." Derek said now with his back to the locker across from Sam's.

"I'd love to hear you try." By now practically the entire school was listening.

"Can we do this in private?" Derek wasn't particularly fond of airing his dirty laundry in public, especially at school where he was admired most.

"I don't want to hear it Derek, you're just going to lie to me again. I wish you were never born!," she screamed at the top of her lungs. She started to cry and ran down the hall. Sam ran after her.

"That makes two of us," whispered Derek.

"Derek are you going to be okay.?" Emily said as she put her hand on Derek's left shoulder.

Derek moved his shoulder, forcing Emily to move her hand. "Yeah, I gotta go." Emily had never seen him so sad before.

"Wait Derek," Emily yelled as she ran after him.

"Derek, stop!" Emily stepped in front of Derek. "What? What do you want?"

"I want to help." Derek opened the front door of the school and held it open while Emily walked under his outstretched arm. They walked to a nearby park and sat down on a bench. "You can't help me, no one can," said Derek as he stared at the ground.

"How about you write a poem and read it to her," said Emily smiling. She wanted so bad to cheer him up. He looked like a sad little lost puppy dog.

"That's not a bad idea." Derek said as he looked up from the ground and into Emily's eyes. Emily smiled and nodded her head.

Emily got up and said, "My mom always says it will be okay in the end, and if it's not then it's not the end,"

Derek got up from the bench and gave her a hug. It was a bad day for Casey, but for Emily, anytime she hugged Derek was a very good day.

She went to the cafeteria and saw Sam consoling Casey. They were sitting beside each other and Sam was rubbing her back.

Emily walked to Casey's table to try to cheer her up. She hated there being so much animosity among her friends.

"Hey Casey, I'm sorry. What Derek did was horrible, but maybe he had a good reason for it," she said as she sat down across from Casey and Sam.

"Em, he totally lied to me," said Casey.

"Well not exactly, you never asked him if he wrote the poem for you."

"I can't believe you're taking his side," said Casey while shaking her head.

They ate in silence until Casey noticed Emily looking towards the entrance to the cafeteria.

Casey turned around to see what Emily was looking at and saw Derek. "I cant believe he has the nerve to show his face here."

Derek jumped on top of Sheldon Schleper's table, three tables from Casey's. "I have something to say. I'll probably get in trouble for this but what else is new?"

"I screwed up again. I let Casey think that that poem was about her. The truth is one of my female admirers wrote it for me so I could pass English. I have something to say to Casey, but i didn't write it down because I wanted Casey to know it comes from my heart, so here goes."

Casey put her head down and tried to hold back the tears.

"Life can be pretty unpredictable sometimes. I thought I knew who I was and what I wanted and then you came along and turned my world upside down. Well that's not entirely true, My world was upside down and you turned it right side up. I know this is not poetry, but it is from the heart and I know thats what you wanted all along. I know I'm making an ass of myself right now and I'm going to get into even more trouble, but the truth is you are the only person I'm willing to do that for. I admit that I'm a liar, but let's get real. You haven't been completely honest with me either, but we'll talk about that later. So I guess what this all really boils down to is I'm sorry and I hope you can forgive me, but if you can't then thats cool too."

Casey got to her feet and walked towards Sheldon's table. She looked up at Derek and said, "Are you finished?"

Derek jumped off the table and stood in front of Casey. "Yeah, I'm done."

Casey quickly raised her hand and slapped him across the face. Everyone in the cafeteria gasped. Derek rubbed his cheek and said, "Ouch."

"If you think your little speech changes anything, you're crazier than I thought." She brushed past Derek and ran out of the cafeteria.

Derek felt someone tap him on his shoulder and he knew it was going to be bad. He turned and saw the vice principal. "Mr. Venturi, we need to talk," he said.

Casey blew off the rest of her classes and went to the mall, but when that didn't even cheer her up, she went home. She was praying she wouldn't see Derek there. She went straight to her room and laid on her bed. She feel asleep hoping to forget about that entire nightmare of a day. She slept for about a half hour when she was awakened by the sound of the front door slamming shut. She heard Derek running up the stairs, she recognized his heavy footsteps on the stairs. She sat up in her bed and he quickly flung her door open.

"Casey, we need to talk." He plopped down on her bed as he would on his own bed.

"Did you get in trouble?," Casey asked with a smirk on her face.

"Yeah, sort of. They want to expel me."

"Are you serious, what are you going to tell George?" Casey pretended she was concerned.

"Yeah, but that's not the worst part."

A/N: I didn't get the idea of Derek acting mature from the episode "Mice and Men" I had that idea first, way before that show aired. Also I hope the chapter was long enough, I know I haven't updated in months. Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	8. Chapter 8

Tired From Dancing

Chapter 8

"What could be worse than getting expelled?," asked Casey.

"The vice-principal said he's going to get social services to remove me from home," answered Derek.

"Wait, What?! They can't do that. They can't take you away from me!"

Casey couldn't believe how just a couple of hours ago, the news of Derek leaving would make her happy, seeing as he lied to her about the poem. But now the thought of being separated from him devastated her beyond belief.

And then it hit her like a bolt of lightning.

She was in love with Derek and they belonged together and no one was going to take him away. She was going to stand up for him and their relationship from now on. She was not going to let anyway take away the one person who, she felt, made her life worth living. Without him around everyday, she wouldn't be truly alive.

She could tell by the look on Derek's face that he was just as shocked as she was by her reaction.

"You'd miss me, huh?," Derek said, his face plastered with his usual smirk.

"Of course I would. Wouldn't you miss me?," Casey asked already knowing the answer, but needed to hear it anyway.

"Life would be a helluva a lot less fun without you Case."

Casey smiled from ear to ear, She hadn't smiled like that in years.

"I may not have written that poem, but all of it was true."

Casey smiled again, but quickly her smile disappeared.

"Ok so what are we going to do? Maybe we could talk to the vice-principal together. We'll just say nothing's going on between us. Wait, he's not going to believe that."

"Us...I like the sound of that," said Derek with a far-off look in his eye.

"Focus, Derek, we need a plan. " Casey almost yelled as she snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Well he saw you slap me so just tell him you hate me because I'm nothing but a liar."

"Ok that's good, but we might need someone to back that up. Maybe we can ask Emily to tell him that nothing has happened between us and nothing ever will," Casey suggested.

"Do you think he'd buy that? She's just another teenager," Derek countered.

"You're right. It would have to come from my mom."

"Will Nora go along with it?"

"I think she would. I don't think she wants to get social services involved any more than you or I do."

"That might actually work," Derek said, rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

He kissed Casey and said, "Man we should of hooked up years ago. I would of spent a lot less time in detention."

Casey kissed him back, while she pulled him down onto her bed and on top of her. Derek couldn't resist sliding his hand up her shirt.

"Casey, I need you," he whispered in her ear.

A couple of hours later, Casey and Derek were woken up by George slamming the front door.

"Edwin, Lizzie, Marti, go into the kitchen and get a snack," Casey heard George yell.

Casey shook Derek. "Derek, wake up! George is home! Get Out!"

He shot up out of Casey's bed. They both got dressed in record time. Casey started making her bed when Derek sprinted out of her room and ran across the hall.

"Derek, we need to talk," George said sternly as he opened Derek's bedroom door.

George found Derek sitting at his computer.

"Derek. Stay right there. Is Casey home?"

"Yeah, I think she's in her room."

George left and Derek felt like he was going to throw up. George returned shortly later with Casey behind him.

"Both of you sit on the bed," he said sternly.

Derek and Casey did what George asked without hesitation, feeling like two kids that just got caught with their hands in the cookie jar as they sat with George towering above them.

"Listen you two. I got a call from your vice-principal today. I'm sure you both know why. He wants to see me and Nora in his office tomorrow before he makes that phone call. This has really gone too far," George said while shaking his head.

"Dad, don't worry. Casey came up with an idea that will make this all go away."

"It's not that simple, Derek." George took a deep breath.

"While I think social services shouldn't get involved, I do agree with your vice-principal that you should spend some time away from here. I think you should go live with your mom and that's what I'm going to tell him tomorrow."

Casey shot up from her chair, "No, you can't do that. I'm as much to blame as he is. That's not fair. Why should he have to leave and I get to stay?"

Without missing a beat, Derek stood up and put his hands on Casey's shoulders. He looked deep into Casey's eyes and said as calm as can be, "Casey, its ok. I'll bite the bullet. Me leaving will get us out of this mess."

Casey's eyes began welling up with tears.

It was then that George realized, Derek wasn't an irresponsible kid anymore. He was a man who was willing to accept the consequences for his actions. He also recognized Derek must really care about Casey if he's willing to put her before himself.

"I think you two should both come with me and Nora tomorrow."

Derek began hugging Casey. With his back to his father he said softly,"Sure thing dad."

George stepped out of Derek's bedroom and let Derek console Casey. He suddenly realized he didn't even mention the fact that Derek didn't pick up Edwin and Lizzie like he said he would. He figured he'd let it go under the circumstances.

Casey pulled away from Derek her face red from crying.

"Why did you say you would go to your mom's. What about our plan?"

"Casey, we can still be together, we just won't live together."

"It's just that easy for you?"

Derek held her head in his hands and looked into her heartbroken eyes.

"Case, nothing about this is easy," he said shaking his head. " Let them have their way for now. In the end we're going to get what we want."

"In the end? What does that mean?," Casey asked.

Derek let go of her head.

"I mean one more year of high school and then we can be together and no one can stop us."

"A whole year without you. I don't even want to think about it."

"Casey, I know it seems long, but it'll go by like that, I promise. In the meantime, we can talk on the phone, and email, and webcam."

"And sneak away for some alone time."

"Sneaky. I like it. Man I have really rubbed off on you," Derek said.

Casey and Derek laughed.

"Feels good to laugh. It's been a tough week. I'm going back to my room. Might as well get used to being away from you," Casey said.

Casey turned toward the door.

"Hey Case," she heard Derek say.

Casey turned around.

"We'll never be really apart."

With that, Casey went back to her room. Normally she would grin at Derek's last comment, but at the moment everything just seemed so hopeless. Casey went straight to her desk and emailed Emily. She then opened up her Chemistry book. I better study after flunking that last test, she thought.

Before she knew it, Casey could hear her mom yelling up the stairs, "Dinner!"

As Casey dragged her feet downstairs, she could smell pizza, her favorite.

She sat down in her usual spot and noticed Derek was absent.

As if on cue, George announced to the table, "Derek will be eating his dinner in his room tonight."

Funny thing is Casey was the only one who seemed to care he wasn't there, when she used to be the one who wanted him gone the most.

After a very quiet dinner, Casey went into the kitchen to help her mom clean up. While drying dishes, she asked her mom, "Can I talk to you about Derek?"

"Of course, sweetie, you can always come to me."

They both sat at the kitchen counter.

"I don't want him to go." Casey started to cry. She hugged her mom as tight as she could.

"Oh Casey, nobody wants him to go, but it's only for a little while."

Casey pulled away and felt it was time to admit to her mom once and for all the complete and honest truth.

"I'm in love with him, mom."

Again Casey hugged her mom. "I know you are. I see it when you look at each other," Nora said as she rubbed Casey's back.

Again they stopped hugging.

"Mom, what are we going to do about tomorrow?"

"I'll tell you what we're gonna do. We're gonna go into that office, all four of us, and tell that vice principal that there's no need to get the government involved because Derek is leaving."

"Will that be enough."

"No, I'll also tell him that he doesn't need to worry because last night you told me, you were over Derek, but I'll still keep a closer eye on you."

"You would lie for me?"

"It's not an ideal situation, but I know how happy he makes you. Contrary to what you may think, I really don't want to see you unhappy. And I know even if I put my foot down, you're still going find a way to be together. I would only suggest you focus on your school work and only talk to or see Derek in your spare time. I'll also talk to George. And remember Case school comes first."

"Thank you so much mom. I promise I'll keep my grades up."

Casey hopped off the stool and ran upstairs to tell Derek, but first she went to her room and emailed Emily about everything.

Casey barged into Derek's room, waking him up.

"Derek, my mom says she's on our side. Isn't that great?"

"Really? Come here."

Casey hopped into bed and nestled up to Derek. He put his arm around Casey and kissed her forehead.

They fell asleep almost instantly.

The next morning Casey, Derek, Nora, and George walked into the vice-principal's office at 9am as requested.

"Please all of you sit down."

There were four chairs in front of the vice-principal's desk. George and Nora sat in the two middle chairs, while Casey sat next to Nora and Derek sat next to George.

The vice-principal spoke first.

"I called you here today to talk about the situation in the cafeteria yesterday. Not only did Derek violate the terms of his suspension, a very disturbing situation came to light that I believe should be handled by the proper authorities."

"If I may," George chimed in, "While I agree with your decision to expel my son, I do not believe it is necessary to get social services involved. Derek will be moving in with his mother going to school near her house."

"Do you honestly think that will keep Derek from pursuing a relationship with his stepsister?"

"Casey assured me last night she no longer has an interest in Derek," Nora added.

"Is this true, Casey?

"Yes. I know Derek has lied to me in the past and I have no interest in dating him," Casey answered.

"Very well then, I trust you will keep a close eye on them."

"Oh yes, we will definitely keep an eye on these two. You have our word. Right, George?" Nora said.

"Oh absolutely, we won't let them out of our sight," George added.

"Very well, I see no need to call the authorities." With that the vice-principal stood and told George and Nora and their children to have a nice day.

Casey went to class. George and Nora went to work and Derek went home.

Casey went straight to her locker and saw Emily standing there.

"So how did it go?," asked Emily.

"It went really well. He's not going to call social services."

"But Derek is still moving to his mom's right?"

"He is but it's for the best, Em, plus it wont stop us from being together."

Emily hugged Casey and said, "I'm glad everything worked out."

The bell shrilly rung and Casey rushed off to Chemistry.

The rest of the day went pretty well, except the awkwardness of seeing Sam talking to a cheerleader.

When Casey got home, she went straight to Derek's room.

To her surprise, Derek was already packing.

"Wow, so soon?"

"Yeah I'm leaving this weekend."

Casey hugged Derek and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to miss you so much," Casey said.

Derek kissed Casey long and hard.

"Wanna help me pack?"

"Oh yeah nothing would me make me happier," Casey said sarcastically.

"Don't be a smart ass and hand me that bubble wrap would ya?"

"Derek, I'm so sorry it had to end like this." Casey began to cry.

"Hey, no tears, come here. It's only a few miles away and it was my poem that really started it."

"Excuse me, your poem?"

"Ok, another girl's poem. I should have just written a poem about hockey or something. See what happens when you try to get good grades?"

Casey laughed as she handed Derek the bubble wrap.

She helped Derek pack his entire room. They only stopped to have dinner.

When they were done they went to Casey's room.

"Man I'm beat," Derek said as he plopped down on Casey's bed.

"Me too." Casey laid down next to him.

Derek rolled on to his side towards Casey.

"I'm going to miss laying here like this with you," he said.

"We'll talk every night before bed."

Derek moved in closer and kissed Casey while unbuttoning her shirt.

The next day around noon, the whole family helped pack up George's car.

Derek said goodbye to everyone, then walked up to Casey.

"I save the best for last."

Casey began to cry.

"Hey don't worry. We'll talk tonight. Remember we'll never be apart."

Derek kissed Casey goodbye and quickly turned away and got into his dad's car.

He tried not to think about what he was leaving behind. The last thing he wanted to do was cry.

As he and George drove off, Casey, Nora, Lizzie, Edwin, and Marti waved goodbye.

And so began Life Without Derek.

The End


End file.
